Fico Resigns as Prime Minister, Pellegrini to Form New Cabinet

Bratislava, March 15 (TASR) – Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Thursday stepped down from the post of Slovak prime minister, as he handed over his resignation to President Andrej Kiska.

Fico’s Government resigns as well, with the ministers keeping their posts until a new cabinet is appointed.

At the same time Kiska tasked Vice-premier Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) with setting up a new government. Pellegrini earlier on Thursday delivered to Kiska signatures from 79 MPs supporting the new government.

Fico decided to step down from his post after a two-week coalition crisis that emerged following the murders of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his girlfriend Martina Kusnirova. Marek Madaric was first to resign on the post of culture minister over the murder, while the resignation of Robert Kalinak as the interior minister followed a week later.

Fico will remain the Smer-SD chairman.